Town kicks off composite correction program

February 7, 2018

CEO and founder of Global Facilitation Inc. explains the timeline for the town’s composite correction program at the program’s kickoff Feb. 5. The two-year study will look into ways of making Bancroft’s wastewater system more efficient. / NATE SMELLE Staff

By Nate Smelle

The town held a meeting on Feb. 5 to announce the launch of the first phase of its composite correction program.

Over the week, a committee of consultants and town staff conducted a comprehensive performance evaluation of Bancroft’s wastewater system. Focusing on the operation, maintenance, administration, and design of the plant, the intent of the study was to find ways to make the wastewater system more efficient.

CEO and founder of Global Facilitation Inc., Gerry Wheeler is part of the committee working with the town on the program. He said the week’s evaluation is just the first step in the process which will last over the next two years. Wheeler said the committee will be presenting their findings from this week’s evaluation to the public at an exit briefing on Feb. 9. At the meeting, he expected they would be able to identify some potential next steps in the optimization of Bancroft’s wastewater operations.

“Opportunities for efficiencies might emerge this week and we’ll just call them opportunities,” Wheeler said.

“That’s to be flushed out with the next step. You need to be very methodical and take your time, because you don’t want to jump to a conclusion and say oh yeah this is a given. Mostly, we will be finding areas that need to be explored and then we’ll build on that.”

The composite correction program has been made possible through funding by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, with additional support from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change. CAO Hazel Lambe said she believed it to be an important factor in addressing the rising water and wastewater rates in Bancroft. She expects the composite correction program will provide the town with a better understanding of what needs to be done to optimize the wastewater system and maintain its efficiency moving forward. Acknowledging that the town has had difficulty collecting information regarding the wastewater system, Lambe said she is looking forward to learning more about the administrative aspects of the operation.

“That’s such an important piece, because to be accountable to the governing body, which is council, and to be accountable to the public, we need that information and we need those controls. All that will come from this program,” she said.

The exit briefing on Friday, Feb. 9 will take place at the municipal office beginning at 9 a.m. Bancroft This Week will follow up in next week’s paper.

More than 30 Bancroft residents ran their water in a stream the thickness of a pencil over the course of this winter to stop their pipes from freezing, according to the town’s CAO Hazel Lambe. It’s a problem she suggests dates back approximately 30 years.

The committee discussed the ongoing homelessness study underway in Hastings County, including the Bancroft area. And later: New permanent OPP Staff Sergeant arrives in June & Ontario to mandate safety committees.